Mazen El Ghaziri

Expertise

Participatory interventions for occupational health, safety, and well-being, Total Worker Health^® (TWH) approaches; prevention and management of workplace violence, incivility, and bullying

Research Interests

Education

• Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Connecticut Health Center-UConn Health, Division of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (2013-2015)
• Ph.D. Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD (2013)
  • Dissertation: Understanding the Impact of Coworker Conflict in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce and Comparative Psychometric Review of the Negative Act Questionnaire
• MPH, Health Services Administration, American University of Beirut, Lebanon (2001)
• BS: Nursing, American University of Beirut, Lebanon (1999)
• Graduate Certificate, Conflict Resolution, University of Massachusetts Boston (2024)

Biosketch

Mazen El Ghaziri is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Solomont School of Nursing at the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell. He earned his PhD in 2013 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, following a BS in Nursing (1999) and an MPH (2001) from the American University of Beirut. From 2013 to 2015, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UConn Health in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Mazen recently earned a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution form UMass Boston (2024).

His research centers on workplace health, safety, and well-being, with particular expertise in workplace violence across correctional and healthcare environments. Guided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Total Worker Health® approach, his work emphasizes both primary and secondary prevention strategies. Currently, Dr. El Ghaziri serves as an investigator with the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW), co-investigator on the Health Improvement Through Employee Control (HITEC) project, and a Co-PI on a National Institute of Corrections cooperative agreement to support correctional worker stress and trauma resources. He also co-coordinates the National Corrections Collaborative (NCC).​

Mazen was the Magnet Coordinator for the 1st Magnet-designated facility in the Middle East (Lebanon) in 2009, the American University of Beirut Medical Center, and a cabinet member of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon (equivalent to the American Nurses Association (ANA) in the USA).

Mazen was selected to be the recipient of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) Workplace Health and Safety Golden Pen Novice Author Award for his article “Understanding the Impact of Bullying in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce.” He was the recipient of the American Nurses Association Massachusetts Excellence in Nursing Research Award (2019), and the University of Maryland Alumni Association Award for Outstanding PhD Nursing Graduate (2013). He is a member of the American Nurses Association and American Nurses Association Massachusetts where he serves as a co-chair of the Living Legends/Awards Committee; American Correctional Nurses Association Awards where he serves on Scholarship Committee; the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, the American Correctional Association, the Society for Total Worker Health Sigma-Eta Omega Chapter. Mazen served on the American Nurses Association Steering Committee on #EndNurseAbuse Professional Issues Panel.

Selected Awards and Honors

• 2024 Golden Pen Award (AAOHN),  Professional Practice
• 2021 Golden Pen Novice Author Award, American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), Workplace Health and Safety Journal
• 2019 Excellence in Nursing Research Award, American Nurses Association (ANA) Massachusetts
• 2019 Teaching Excellence Award, UMass Lowell Solomont School of Nursing
• 2013 Outstanding PhD Graduate Award, University of Maryland Alumni Association
• Teaching Excellence Award (2019), Teaching, UMass Lowell Solomont School of Nursing
• Excellence in Nursing Research Award (2019), Scholarship/Research, American Nurses Association Massachusetts
• Nominated for American Associations of Colleges for Nursing Excellence in Advancing Nursing Science (2013), University of Maryland School of Nursing
• Outstanding PhD Graduate (2013) - University of Maryland Alumni Association
• President's Fellow Focusing on Civility as a Core Instructional Value (2013) - University of Maryland
• International Scholarly Presentation Award (2012) - Pi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau
• AUBMC Henriette Sabra Memorial Award (1999) - AUBMC Women's Auxiliary

Selected Publications

• El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L. A., Fallon, P. Owen, D., Stewart, B. & Cherniack, M. (2025). Development of Evidence Informed Learning Resources to Promote Staff Wellness, Well-Being, and the Reduction of Staff Trauma and Organizational Stress in Prison and Jail Settings: A BRIEF REPORT, National Institute of Corrections.
• Cherniack, M., Namazi, S., Brennan, M., Henning, R., Dugan, A., & El Ghaziri, M. (2024). A 16-Year Chronicle of Developing a Healthy Workplace Participatory Program for Total Worker Health® in the Connecticut Department of Correction. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
• Fallon, P., Jaegers, L. A., Zhang, Y., Dugan, A., Cherniack, M., & El Ghaziri, M. (2023). Peer Support Programs to Reduce Work-Related Organizational Stress and Trauma for Public Safety Workers. Workplace Health and Safety Journal.
• Nobrega, S., Edwards, K., El Ghaziri, M., Giacobbe, L., Rice, S., & Punnett, L. (2023). A protocol to assess competing causes and contextual factors in program impact evaluation: a case study of a STEM gender equity intervention in higher education. American Journal of Evaluation. DOI: 10.1177/10982140231152281
• El Ghaziri, M., Johnson, S., Purpora, C., Simons, S., & Taylor, R. (2021). Registered Nurses’ Experiences with Incivility During the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic. Workplace Health & Safety.
• Zhang, Y., El Ghaziri, M., Siddique, S., Gore, R., Kurowski, A., Nobrega, S, Punnett, L. (2021). Emotional labor and depressive symptoms among healthcare workers: The role of sleep. Workplace Health & Safety, 69, 8, 383-393. doi:10.1177/21650799211014768
• Nobrega, S., El Ghaziri, M., Giacobbe, L., Rice, S., Punnett, L., & Edwards, K. (2021). Feasibility of Virtual Focus Groups in Program Impact Evaluation. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, doi:10.1177/16094069211019896
• El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L., Monteiro, C., Grubb, P., & Cherniack, M. (2020). Progress in Corrections Worker Health: The National Corrections Collaborative Utilizing a Total Worker Health® Strategy. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 62,12, 965-972. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002016
• El Ghaziri, M., Simons, S., & Taylor, R. (2020). An Exploratory Study of Bullying Directed Toward Clinical Nursing Faculty: Prevalence and Impact. Nurse Educator, 46,5, 311-316. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000939
• El Ghaziri, M., Dugan, A., Zhang, Y., & Castro, M. (2019). Sex and Gender Role Differences in Occupational Exposures and Work Outcomes Among Registered Nurses in Correctional Settings. Annals of Work Exposures and Health.
• Zhang, Y., El Ghaziri, M., Dugan, A., & Castro, M. (2019). Work and health correlates of sleep quantity and quality among correctional nurses. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 15,1, 42-51.doi:10.1097/JFN.0000000000000229
• El Ghaziri, M., Simons, S. R., Lipscomb, J., Storr, C.L., McPhaul, K., London, M., Trinkoff, A.M., & Johnson, J.V. (2019). Understanding the Impact of Workplace Bullying in an Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce. Workplace Health & Safety, 8, 3, 139-153, doi.org/10.1177/2165079919883286.
• El Ghaziri, M., Dugan, A. Zhang, Y., Gore, R., & Castro, M.E. (2019). Sex and gender role differences in occupational exposures and work outcomes among registered nurses in correctional settings. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 63, 5, 568-582, doi:10.1093/annweh/wxz018
• El Ghaziri, M., Storr, C. L., Simons, S. R., McPhaul, K., London, M., Trinkoff, A. M., Johnson, J. V., & Lipscomb, J. (2019). Comparative Psychometric Review of the Negative Act Questionnaire-Revised in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 62, 161-171.doi:10.3233/WOR-18285
• Peters, A.B., ElGhaziri, M., Morse, B., Simons, S.R., Taylor, R. (). An Exploratory Study of Bullying Among School Nurses: Prevalence and Impact. Journal of School Nursing.
• ElGhaziri, M., Morse, B. (). Climate Change in Nursing Curriculum: The Time is Now. Journal of Nursing Education.
• ElGhaziri, M., Jaegers, L.A., Monteiro, C.E., Grubb, P.L., Cherniack, M.G. (2020). Progress in Corrections Worker Health: The National Corrections Collaborative Utilizing a Total Worker Health® Strategy. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.
• ElGhaziri, M., Simons, S.R., Lipscomb, J., Storr, C.L., McPhaul, K., London, M., Trinkoff, A.M., Johnson, J.V. (2020). Understanding the Impact of Bullying in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce. Workplace health & safety,68(3) 139-153.
• Peters, A.B., El-Ghaziri, M., Quinn, B., Simons, S.R., Taylor, R. (2020). An Exploratory Study of Bullying Exposure Among School Nurses: Prevalence and Impact. The Journal of school nursing : the official publication of the National Association of School Nurses, 1059840519897308.
• Quinn, B., ElGhaziri, M., Knight, M. (2019). Incorporating social justice, community partnerships, and student engagement in community health nursing courses. Teaching and Learning in Nursing,14(3) 183-185.
• Quinn, B., ElGhaziri, M., Mangano, K., Thind, H.K. (2019). Toward Total Student Health: A Qualitative Pilot Study. Journal of American College Health,67(5) 391-396.
• ElGhaziri, M., Simons, S.R., Lipscomb, J., Storr, C.L., McPhaul, K., London, M., Trinkoff, A.M., Johnson, J.V. (2019). Understanding the Impact of Bullying in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce. Workplace health & safety, 2165079919883286.
• Namazi, S., Dugan, A.G., Fortinsky, R.H., Barnes-Farrell, J., Coman, E., ElGhaziri, M., Cherniack, M.G. (2019). Examining a Comprehensive Model of Work and Family Demands, Work-Family Conflict, and Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of Correctional Supervisors. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine,61(10) 818-828.
• ElGhaziri, M., London, M., Lipscomb, J. (2019). Workplace Bullying in the Public Sector. Springer
• ElGhaziri, M., Dugan, A.G., Zhang, Y., Gore, R., Castro, M.E. (2019). Sex and Gender Role Differences in Occupational Exposures and Work Outcomes Among Registered Nurses in Correctional Settings. Annals of work exposures and health,63(5) 568-582.
• ElGhaziri, M., Dugan, A., Zhang, Y., Castro, M. (2019). Sex and gender role differences in occupational exposures and work outcomes among registered nurses in correctional settings. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, (wxz018).
• ElGhaziri, M., Storr, C.L., Simons, S.R., Trinkoff, A.M., McPhaul, K.M., London, M., Johnson, J.V., Lipscomb, J. (2019). Comparative psychometric review of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised in a unionized U.S. public sector workforce. Work (Reading, Mass.),62(1) 161-171.
• Zhang, Y., ElGhaziri, M., Dugan, A.G., Castro, M.E. (2019). Work and Health Correlates of Sleep Quantity and Quality Among Correctional Nurses. Journal of forensic nursing,15(1) 42-51.
• Dugan, A.G., Farr, D.A., Namazi, S., Henning, R.A., Wallace, K.N., ElGhaziri, M., Punnett, L., Dussetschleger, J.L., Cherniack, M.G. (2016). Process evaluation of two participatory approaches: Implementing total worker health® interventions in a correctional workforce. American journal of industrial medicine,59(10) 897-918.
• Cherniack, M., Dussetschleger, J., Dugan, A., Farr, D., Namazi, S., ElGhaziri, M., Henning, R. (2016). Participatory action research in corrections: The HITEC 2 program. Applied ergonomics,53 Pt A 169-80.
• Elliot, D., Kuehl, K., ElGhaziri, M., Cherniack, M.G. (2015). Addressing the Safety and Well-Being of Correctional Officers. Corrections Today
• Cherniack, M.G., ElGhaziri, M., Dussetschleger, J.D., Elliot, D., Kuehl, K. (2015). Making for a Health CO. American Jails, 17-24.
• ElGhaziri, M., Dugan, A., Zhang, Y., Castro, M.E. (2015). Assessing the Occupational Health Risks and Health Behaviors for Men in Correctional Nursing. APHA
• ElGhaziri, M., Zhu, S., Lipscomb, J., Smith, B.A. (2014). Work Schedule and Client Characteristics Associated with Workplace Violence Experience among Nurses and Midwives in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care,25(1) S79–S89.
• ElGhaziri, M. (2014). An Assessment of Preventing and Managing Aggressive Behavior in a U.S. State Hospital System. Fourth International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector
• Lipscomb, J.A., ElGhaziri, M. (2013). Workplace violence prevention: improving front-line health-care worker and patient safety. New solutions : a journal of environmental and occupational health policy : NS,23(2) 297-313.
• Lipscomb, J., London, M., McPhaul, K.M., Lydecker, A., Geiger-Brown, J., Johnson, J.V., ElGhaziri, M. (2015). The Prevalence of Coworker Conflict including Bullying in a Unionized U.S. Public Sector Workforce. Violence & Victims,30(5) 813.

Selected Presentations

• Robertson, M., Brennan, M., El Ghaziri, M., Namazi, S. A participatory approach to Correctional Workforce work and health equity. The 4th International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health® October 21–24, 2025 (Virtual due to government shutdown).
• Zhang, Y., Kim, I., Shishivan, H.H. (PhD student), Parker, T. (PhD student), Gossett, E. (PhD student), El-Ghaziri, M., Henning, R., Barnes-Farrell, J., & Cherniack, M. Are work-related stress and violence incidents reported by intensive care unit nurses in real time associated with sleep behaviors on a daily basis? 2025 Health Policy Conference, Washington DC, October 16-18, 2025.
• Nobrega, S. Edwards, K., El Ghaziri, M. Rice. S. Uncovering Context in Program Evaluation: A Protocol to Identify and Measure “What Else is Going On”workshop. Work, Stress & Health Conference 2025, Seattle, WA, 8-11 July, 2025.
• El Ghaziri, M., Hughes, J., Garcia, Y., Duga, A., Cole, W., Namazi, S., Cherniack, M. (May 2025). Participatory Health Interventions in Corrections: An Effect Modifier Assessment of HITEC Project. 22nd European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic.
• El Ghaziri, M., Kurowski, A., Garcia, Y., Rice, S., Punnett, L. (May 2025). Contextual Factors During and After COVID-19: Effect Modifier Assessment at a Mental Health Facility. 22nd European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic.
• El Ghaziri, M., & Jaegers, L. (Jan, 2024). Current and Innovative Practices in Reducing Staff Trauma and Organizational Stress in Corrections: Participatory Approaches to Improve Correctional Worker Health and Well-Being. American Correctional Association Winter Conference 2024, National Harbor, MD.
• El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L., Fatai, A., Patel, P.G., Fallon, P., and Cherniack, M. (Nov, 2023). Policies and Practices to Address Correctional Officers’ Stress and Trauma in Prison and Jail settings: Findings from a National Survey (Round Table). American Public Health Association’s (APHA) 151stAnnual Meeting and Exposition, Atlanta, GA.
• El Ghaziri, M., Fallon, P., Robertson, M. Malcore, M., Namazi, S. Jaegers, L., and Cherniack, M. (Nov 2023). Panel on Organizational Approaches to Address Correctional Workers’ Occupational Stress and to Promote Well-being: National, State and Local Perspectives (Panel Organizer). Work, Stress, and Health Conference, 15th International Work, Stress, and Health Conference: Work and Mental Health - Challenges and Solutions in a Changing World (Virtual).
• El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L., Fatai, A., Patel, P.G., Fallon, P., and Cherniack, M. (Nov, 2023). Staff and Leadership Training Resources to Address Correctional Officers’ Stress and Trauma in Prison and Jail Settings: Findings from a National Survey. Work, Stress, and Health Conference, 15th International Work, Stress, and Health Conference: Work and Mental Health - Challenges and Solutions in a Changing World (Virtual).
• Fallon, P., El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L. A., Zhang, Y., Dugan, A., Cherniack, M. (Nov, 2023). Facilitators and Barriers for the availability, use and helpfulness of PSP programs to Address Correctional Officers Stress and Trauma in Prison and Jail settings: Findings from a National Survey. Work, Stress, and Health Conference, 15th International Work, Stress, and Health Conference: Work and Mental Health - Challenges and Solutions in a Changing World (Virtual).
• El Ghaziri, M., Jaegers, L., Hughes, J., Namazi, S. Ellison, J., Cherniack, M. (Oct. 2022). Correctional Worker Health and Well-being using a TWH Approach: National, State and Local Perspectives (Panel). 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
• El Ghaziri, M., Zhang, Y., Parker, T., Hamidid, H., Barnes-Farrell, J., Henning, R., Kim, I., Garza, J., Cherniack, M. (Nov, 2022). Real-time Workplace Violence Incidents and Stress Reporting among Intensive Care Registered Nurses. American Public Health Association’s (APHA) 150th Annual Meeting and Exposition, Boston, MA.
• Atem, J., and El Ghaziri, M. (Nov., 2022). Enhancing Hepatitis A and B vaccinations through electronic clinical decision support systems and staff education Enhancing Hepatitis A and B vaccinations through electronic clinical decision support systems and staff education. American Public Health Association’s (APHA) 150th Annual Meeting and Exposition, Boston, MA.
• Parker, T., El Ghaziri, M., Dugan, A., Namazi, S., Robertson, M., Kotejoshyer, R., Rice, S., Brennan, M., Henning, R., Cherniack, M. (Oct., 2022). Customizing the IDEAS Tool for Use in Designing Total Worker Health Interventions by the Corrections Workforce. 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Jaegers, L., Bello, J., El Ghaziri, M., Scott, S., Pridgeon, S. (Oct., 2022). Exploring hospital staff needs to inform health promotion interventions during frontline COVID-19 work using a TWH approach. 3rd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Parker, T., Barnes-Farrell, J., Cherniack, M., El Ghaziri, M., Gilmer,D. Gossett,E., Hamidi Shishivan H., Zhang,Y. (July, 2022). Investigating Nursing Incivility and Harassment Experiences by Characterizing Day-Level Experiences. 15th European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology Conference, Bordeaux, France
• El Ghaziri, M. Jaegers, L. A., Fallon, P., Schur, N., Cherniack, M. (September, 2021). Participatory/Intervention Investigations in Corrections: The National Institute of Corrections Participatory Group. Curated Paper Sessions: Workplace Stress and Recovery: Crisis in the Workplace: Labor’s Response to COVID 19- Work Organization, Occupational Stress, and Health Outcomes. Work, Stress, and Health Conference, Virtual.
• El Ghaziri, M., Johnson, S., Purpora, C., Simons, S., Taylor, R. (April, 2021). Registered Nurses Experiences with Incivility During the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Multi-state Survey. 12th International Association on Workplace Bullying and Harassment (IAWBH) Conference, Dubai, United Arab Emirates-Virtual due to COVID-19 Pandemic
• El Ghaziri, M., Kurowski, A., Siddique, S., & Punnett, L. (April, 2021). Does workplace violence exposure increase the risk for workplace bullying?. 12th International Association on Workplace Bullying and Harassment (IAWBH) Conference, Dubai, United Arab Emirates-Virtual due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
• Factors associated with regular participation in leisure-time physical activity among nursing staff - the 2019 APHA Conference, November 2019
• Work and health correlates of sleep quantity and quality among correctional nurses - 2018 American Public Health Association Conference, November 2018 - San Diego
• Facilitators and barriers to improve the utilization of EMPOWER as a peer mediation program for T3WV (co-worker conflict/workplace bullying) among correctional registered nurses - the Sixth International Conference for Violence in the Healthcare Sector, October 2018 - Toronto
• Workplace Bullying Exposure and Prevention in Correctional Nursing - the 11th International Conference on Workplace Bullying and Harassment, June 2018 - Bordeaux, France
• Workplace violence exposure among correctional registered nurses - 2017 American Public Health Association Conference, November 2017 - Atlanta, GA,
• Correctional nurse’s occupational exposures and attitudes related to health, safety and wellness in the workplace: A mixed method approach - 2017 American Assembly for Men in Nursing Annual Conference, September 2017 - Las Vegas, NV
• Perceptions of role and occupational risk of correctional nurses - the Fifth International Conference for Violence in the Healthcare Sector, October 2016 - Dublin, Ireland
• Assessing the occupational health risks and health behaviors for men in correctional nursing - 2015 American Public Health Association Conference, October 2015 - Chicago, IL

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

• PI (2023–2026): Identifying Resources for the Reduction of Non-custody Correction Staff Trauma and Organizational Stress in Prison and Jail Settings — U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
• Co-I (2025–2027): Health Improvement Through Employee Control (HITEC) VI — State of Connecticut
• Co-I (2021–2026): Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW) — CDC NIOSH
• Co-I (2025–2027): Translating Research to Practice in Corrections Staff Mental Health — NIH/NIOSH
• Integrating the Difference Makers Principles into the Nursing Curriculum UMass Lowell Transformational Education Student Success Mini-Grant (2017), Grant -
  Koren, A., ElGhaziri, M.
• CPHNEW Research Center Renewal (2016), Grant - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  Zhang, Y. (Co-Investigator), Punnett, L. (Principal), ElGhaziri, M. (Co-Investigator), Nobrega, S. (Co-Principal)
• Research Grant: An Exploratory Study of Bullying Exposure among School Nurses: Prevalence and Impact (2017), Grant - National Association of School Nurses
  Quinn, B. (Co-Principal), Peters, A.B. (Principal), ElGhaziri, M. (Co-Principal), Simons, S.R. (Co-Principal)
• UMass Lowell towards Total Student Health (2016), Grant - Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
  Quinn, B. (Co-Principal), Thind, H.K. (Principal), Mangano, K. (Co-Principal), ElGhaziri, M. (Co-Principal)
• Assessing the occupational health risks and health behaviors for men in correctional nursing and evaluating the barriers and facilitators for a peer mediation program (2015), Grant - Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace
  Zhang, Y. (Co-Investigator), ElGhaziri, M. (Principal), Dugan, A. (Co-Investigator), Castro, M. (Co-Investigator)
• Assessing the Occupational Health Risks and Health Behaviors for Men in Correctional Nursing and Evaluating the Barriers and Facilitators for a Peer Mediation Program (2015), Grant - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  ElGhaziri, M.
• Occupational Health Needs and Research within Connecticut (2013), Grant - University of Connecticut, Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science
  ElGhaziri, M.
• Accountability in the Nursing Profession in Lebanon (2007), Grant - United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  ElGhaziri, M.